<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">

<html>
<head>
	<title>Swing Absolute Layout</title>
	<link href="../../../book.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
</head>

<body>
<h1>Swing Absolute Layout</h1>
<table border="0" width="800" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
	<tr>
		<td><b>Absolute Layout</b> or <b>Null Layout</b> is a simple x,y 
		oriented layout. During layout, the live component is shown moving with a tooltip showing its 
current location or size. Dynamic snap / alignment points are provided to make it 
convenient to align the component with other components or the window margin. 
		Resizing a component also snaps to the preferred size of the resized 
		component or to the size (vertical or horizontal) of any other component 
		on the same parent.<ul>
	<li><a href="#MainFeatures">Main Features</a></li>
	<li><a href="#GraphicalFeedback">Graphical Feedback</a></li>
	<li><a href="../../preferences/swing/preferences_absolute.html">Preferences</a></li>
</ul>
    <p></p>
<h2><a name="MainFeatures"></a>Main Features</h2>
<ul>
	<li>Select <b>Absolute Layout</b> from the <b>Layouts</b> palette and 
				drop it on a JFrame or JPanel</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_design_view.gif" align="top" width="639" height="328"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
				<li>Graphical feedback is provided for all widget size and 
				position operations</li>
            </ul>
            <blockquote>
				<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_baselines.gif" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_size1.gif" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
          <p></p>
            <h2><a name="GraphicalFeedback"></a>Graphical Feedback</h2>
<ul>
	<li>Position and size widgets using snapping feedback</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_baselines2.gif" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_size1.gif" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Provide position and size feedback via tooltips</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_baselines.gif" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_size2.gif" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Align widgets horizontally and vertically</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_align_horizontal.gif" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Indent widgets intelligently</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_indent.gif" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Align widgets along text baselines</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_baselines.gif" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_baselines2.gif" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Align widgets to margins</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_margins.gif" align="top" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Replicate widget heights and widths</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_replicate_width.gif" align="top" width="322" height="266">&nbsp;
	<img border="0" src="images/al_snap_replicate_height.gif" align="top" width="322" height="266"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Align widgets using optional grid</li>
</ul>
		<blockquote>
			<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_grid_align.gif" align="top"></p>
		</blockquote>
		<ul>
	<li>Align and center widgets using toolbar</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
	<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/align_toolbar.gif" align="top"></p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>Set alignment and size using floating layout assistant</li>
	<li>Set <b>size</b>, <b>location</b> and/or <b>bounds</b> properties using 
	the <b>
	<a href="../../../com.instantiations.designer.doc.user/html/userinterface/property_pane.html">
	Property Pane</a></b></li>
</ul>
		<blockquote>
			<p>
	<img border="0" src="images/al_properties.gif" align="top">&nbsp;
			<img src="images/property_editor_rectangle3.gif" alt="" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="5" align="top"></p>
		</blockquote>
		<p>&nbsp;</td>
	</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>